Iraq.. Condemnations of targeting journalistic cadres in Lebanon

Baghdad - INA

A number of political forces and government agencies condemned, on Friday, the Zionist entity's targeting of journalistic and media cadres working to cover the events taking place in southern Lebanon.

The media office of the Al-Bashaer Youth Movement condemned the ongoing Zionist attacks on journalistic and media personnel, the latest of which was the Hasbaya massacre that led to the martyrdom of three journalists in their residence and the injury of others. It is a violation and disregard for all international conventions related to the protection of journalists and media personnel.

A statement by the movement - received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA) - said: "The continued targeting of journalists by the 'usurping entity' is a war crime by all standards, and the international community and organizations concerned with protecting journalists cannot remain silent about it. It is an indication of the extent of the recklessness that the Zionist entity has reached in its brutal aggression, thereby violating all covenants, charters and humanitarian standards."

The statement continued, "This massacre comes within the framework of preventing the media from transmitting images of the genocidal war practiced by the Zionist enemy against civilians and innocents."

In this regard, a statement by the Board of Commissioners of the Communications and Media Commission - received by the Iraqi News Agency (INA) - said: "It condemned the aggressive massacres that the Zionist occupation forces continue to commit, targeting journalistic and media cadres working to cover the events taking place in southern Lebanon, which resulted in the martyrdom of Al-Manar TV photographer, martyr Wissam Qassem, and Al-Mayadeen TV cadres, martyr photographer Ghassan Najjar and technician Mohammed Reda, in addition to the injury of a large number of media professionals working in seven other institutions."

He added, "While we offer our condolences to the management of the media channels and institutions and the families of the righteous martyrs, we ask God Almighty to bestow His vast mercy upon them and to grant the wounded and injured a speedy recovery."

According to the statement, the Council called on all media organizations, unions and institutions in the world to "condemn this criminal behaviour and take the necessary measures against the occupation authorities to deter them from repeating their barbaric aggression against media professionals."